Ocean Current Baseload for Italy and Florida?

[webfarmer]

I've always thought that this was an under-appreciated technology.

Ocean Currents May Bring Italy More Tidal Energy - Renewable Energy World - 09 Dec 08

"A 500-kilowatt (kW) tidal power prototype that could be scaled up for ocean use is set to be tested next August in the Strait of Messina, a stormy stretch of sea separating Italy's mainland from Sicily.

If the trial is successful, an even more powerful tidal power plant could be ready for mass production in about five years time, and installed not just in the seas off Italy but also in the Gulf of Florida and other coastal sites with stronger currents.

Tests so far of the Sea Power tidal device on open sea have been successful, said Werner Ebner from Fri-El Green Power, the company based Italy and developing the Sea Power power plant."

Comments

[markmc03.livejournal.com]

James Lovelock sees a long term problem with tidal power. For reasons I don't quite understand, but he believes such devices will slow the rotation of the Earth pulling the moon back toward us in an ultimate collision.

[webfarmer.livejournal.com]

Good grief! We can't have that happening! :)

Seriously, the reference you are noting is on page 84 of the Amazon.com version of the book. It's a reference to a science fiction story and Lovelock goes on to say that there's not a problem with "modest" projects.

http://tinyurl.com/6zorhj

I would say that it's a bit like the idea that wind turbines are going to slow down the wind over the lands by any noticable amount. The little windmills are a whole 400 feet in diameter and maybe 500 feet high.

Now how high does the atmosphere go and how much more energy is there above that thin layer that the "big" wind turbines would influence? It's like a gnat on an elephant!

Consider how the wind has been sped up by the chopping down of forests all over the place. No one is much concerned about that particular issue from the standpoint of wind energy and rightfully so.

The same would be true for any current based systems like this one. Perhaps we should knock out all the irregularities on the ocean bottom and shorelines because of the heat energy they generate from the water running over them too?

That's so much more than these little puny devices it's not even funny.

He goes on to say that these are actually promising technologies but, without any reference to facts to support it, goes on to say how they'll not be around for decades so forget them. This is the kind of idle handwaving, by people who should know better, that makes me crazy.

Once engaged, wind turbine costs and reliability went down in a significantly faster rate than what Lovelock has noted. What's the problem is that that may of the programs have been gutted or strangled over the years by the kind of "this can't be serious, don't waste any time on it" mentality that Lovelock is exhibiting in spades.

The UK was on the cutting edge of wave power decades ago and then the horse was shot from under people like Peter Salter and others. Then people crow, "See! It doesn't work and probably won't for decades!"

Of course, this is all unlike nuclear which is ready to go yesterday. After six decades of massive investments, it still makes no economic sense!

[explicatives deleted]

:)

[webfarmer.livejournal.com]

For a good time, try out RealClimate.org (http://www.realclimate.org/)'s take on Lovelock's book. They have serious atmospheric scientist credentials as well.

James Lovelock’s Gloomy Vision (http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=256) by David [Archer] [Biography (http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=163)] - 13 February 2006

[markmc03.livejournal.com]

I agree with you, both about the nonsense of Lovelock's opposition to wind, tidal and solar, as well as your concern about nuclear power. I bet he thinks three eyes on your dog or goldfish is cute too.

[markmc03.livejournal.com]

I'll check it out.

[webfarmer.livejournal.com]

I think he's just an old school guy. Lots of people thought nuclear power was a pretty great thing. It's all high tech and whizzy. And it's big scale. Manly technology.

Lovelock is freaked that we're going to cook the planet and so he goes for the big fix. It's a plan but it's not a very well thought out one, imo.

[webfarmer.livejournal.com]

That website is one of the best for informed rebuttals of anti-global warming propaganda.